Horizon
by Eliza Goldenfield
Summary: This story takes place after the end of eclipse. Life has turned out great for Bella and now she wants to know what to do next. This is going to be a long story, so hold tight! Mainly Edward and Bella; but also family and a few new characters as well.
1. Plans

**1. Plans**

Life could not be more perfect.

I was in the arms of the one I loved. My beautiful daughter slept peacefully in the next room. I could hear the flutter of her heart and the faint whistle as she drew air into her lungs.

Outside, the pool, our pool, was touched by the faintest tinge of pink, as the new day crept over the horizon.

No, it wasn't a new day, not for me, not for any others of my kind, but a continuation of a long story: a thread in the loom of time.

I wondered what this new thread would bring into my life.

Edward breathed into my ear, "What is on your mind, my love?"

I showed him. It was getting easier now, to push away the barrier. However, Edward grumbled, it was not easy enough, not easy enough for some things.

"What would you like to happen?" Edward replied to my thoughts.

"Hmm..."

I snuggled closer to him as I went through the possibilities: so much to do, so much time, where to start?

Suddenly I remembered a conversation that I had had another world ago. On that fateful honeymoon, when I had tried to bend Edward's will to mine.

"Do you remember the house you said that you had near Harvard?"

A crooked smile that I knew and loved so well, played on his lips, as he read my intentions, and thoughts.

"Yes", to my spoken and unspoken question.

"They'll let us go?!"

"Of course."

"Let's go and see Alice and Carlisle..." Edward twisted his body infinitesimally closer to mine, his lips gave exultant kisses. "...On second thoughts, why not wait for Renesmee to wake up?"


	2. Safe Hands

**Safe Hands**

Carlisle thought that it was a brilliant idea, and even Jasper looked relaxed, for him.

Esme had smiled and said that Charlie would love it when he got the news.

Emmet patted us both hard on the back, and joked that I was nicely filling the role of his nerdy sister. I growled quietly, but enough for him to back away with his hands held up apologetically.

However it took one word from Rosalie, "Renesmee."

"We'll take her with us of course." Edward replied smoothly.

"Jacob won't accept that, not that I mind, the dog needs putting in his place, but still..."

Suddenly, Edward screwed up his nose in mock disgust

"Speak of the devil; here he comes with Alice now."

Alice dived beautifully through the window, performed a perfect somersault, and then landed gracefully on her toes. Jacob, my best friend, followed shortly after, took the room in two long paces and picked my daughter off the floor by her ankles.

Renesmee squealed with delight and rage, an odd combination, and then reached to tough Jacob's face.

"Alright kid, I'll put you down."

He looked at her appraisingly, then stepped back to measure her with his hands.

"You've grown," he said accusingly. She flashed a grin back at him.

Renesmee had indeed grown. In fact she more resembled a lean 5 year old, than the one year she had had. We'd celebrated her first birthday just days ago.

Jacob turned to me, "So... I hear you two are going to Harvard."

Both Edward and I shot a hard glance at Alice; she smiled back.

"Yes, we go next week." I replied.

"What are you planning to do with Nessie?"

I winced at the diminutive, "We're taking her with us, of course."

Jacob frowned, "I don't think I could leave the pack for that long."

"You're not coming."

"No can do, Bells, you know I can't stay away from her."

My head filled with many pictures at that, none of them pretty. These were knocked swiftly from my mind as I saw Jasper's body tense. My attention was turned back to Jacob.

"Please Bella?" he whined.

I was torn, "Alice?"

"I can't see either of them anyway." she answered tragically, with a dramatic sigh.

"You know she'll be in safe hands..."

"Yes, my daughter, safe with a werewolf." I replied sarcastically.

"I could never harm her." He stated it like a fact.

I looked at Edward for support, but he had his poker face on, great.

"Please, please, please, please, pleeeeeeease...!"

I relented with a nod, to shut him up, if nothing else. However I regretted the decision instantly.

I snatched Renesmee off him, and then marched him out the door; I couldn't stand a moment more of his presence. I turned round to face my family.

"That was probably the right thing to do. " Edward attempted to comfort me. "Come on, let's go get packed, before Alice gets on the case!"


	3. Welcome Home

**Welcome Home**

Six days later, and we were running towards Harvard.

Edward had expressed a preference to take one of the many stupidly fast cars that we owned, most likely his silver Volvo, but for me old habits die hard. I still hated travelling at mental speeds in gas-guzzling monsters! For me, running was like the perfect escape; I could use my unnecessary power and enjoy the scenery at the same time.

So we had ended up zipping hand-in-hand past the lush panorama, stopping occasionally to climb the mountains and jump the lakes.

It was a cross continent dash through Washington, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, making a stop in Milwaukee, before crossing Lake Michigan into Michigan, through Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, until finally reaching Massachusetts and Harvard.

The journey had taken a day at our leisurely pace, and though I should have felt exhausted, I was satisfied and refreshed.

"So, are you going to show me this house then?" I asked petulantly.

Edward grinned and scooped me off my feet, "Let me do the honours."

I was carried at human pace for a minute until we reached a well-lit, secluded street. The houses were all linked in their privacy and style; they looked like they belonged in the classier end of Hollywood.

I groaned, "Please tell me..."

His finger silenced my lips as he jumped over a posh electric gate; he didn't have enough hands to type the pin in the keyboard, and then he carried me towards what looked like a mock-Georgian town house.

Edward opened the door, stepped in, then leaned down to kiss me.

All previous misgivings were forgotten as my lips searched his.

He chuckled lightly and set me down, "Welcome home, love."

I took in my surroundings warily; I had come to expect the white decor, but this place had the addition of gold fringing around the doors and walls, and the floors were oak. A grand staircase took up half the hall and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling.

I was prepared to feel furious, but I surprised myself.

I discovered that I loved the understated glamour, but, more than that, I loved the fact that it was ours.

No relatives would pop by, no friends would call in: what would we do alone at night!

I realised that Edward was still standing near the door cautiously. I turned to face him with a smile on my face.

"You won't get away with this," I was by his side now and I pulled his body towards mine.

"Wait," he whispered, and once again I was being carried, but in an upwards direction now. I didn't notice the white bedroom I was entering or the pale golden bed; my life was Edward.


	4. Harvard

I AM SORRY THIS TOOK A LONG TIME COMING, AND THE FACT THAT THIS SO SHORT. HOWEVER THERE IS STILL YET MORE TO COME, SO I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE. (BY THE WAY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO MY REVIEWERS, IT REALLY SPURS ME ON!)

I AM AFRAID THAT A LOT OF ARTISTIC LISENCE HAS BEEN USED ON HARVARD FOR TWO MAIN REASONS; FIRSTLY I LIVE IN ENGLAND AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THE UNIVERSITY, AND SECONDLY I NEVER EVEN GONE TO UNIVERSITY! I DON'T THINK THAT IT WILL MATTER THOUGH : D

**Harvard**

Butterflies flared up in my stomach. At the moment I had two major worries, the first was to do with my very nature. I had been OK in Forks, surrounded with people I knew; I was hardly going to lose control and bite them. Now it was different. I would be surrounded by complete strangers, each causing my throat to burn with thirst and venom to fill my mouth. How would I fare?

My second worry was more trivial, yet still oddly distressing: I was going to uni – HARVARD of all places. People like me should not be going to such a well renowned institution and I felt like I was cheating slightly with Edward's extra help. Not only that, what would the humans think of us; would they turn away from us or, even worse, would they try to engage us in conversation? Yet again I felt myself stalling.

It was only the thought of Edward being there too, that convinced me not to run away. Far away.

"Shh..."He said as he tucked a stray hair behind my ear, "You don't have to do this. By the way, have I told that you look mesmerising, as always?"

I smiled, "You don't look too bad yourself!"

We both winced at the cheesiness of my reply, and I found that I had been sufficiently distracted. Yet again Edward was pulling off his 'hot off runway' look. He was wearing a French-style ivory turtleneck, with beige chinos. Yes he was flawless, in every sense of the word.

"We should go, we might be late..." not likely.

"Any second thoughts then?" he quizzed.

A few, but I didn't want to overly worry my husband, "Nope."

"Let's go then!" he took my hand and we walked at a brisk human pace towards campus.

I should have felt overwhelmed by the sheer size and scale of the university, but it was the beauty of it that excited me; I was feeling oddly confident.

This may have been because I always felt safe with Edward by my side, not even other vampires could get me here. It would be a violation of the rules, or should I say rule, for vampires to reveal themselves so explicitly around so many humans.

In fact, the only thing to fear was the people themselves, and the natural urges I felt around them. The stench was so overpoweringly unbearable, that I was glad that Edward's firm restraining hand was around my shoulder. I may have the will power of a saint, but I didn't want to test it on all these young people.

We made it to the reception and I noticed many other people had done the same thing; it was packed!

"Are you okay?" Edward whispered a concerned look on his face.

I nodded, not wanting to waste breath on an answer. Edward looked around and showed me to an empty seat.

"Wait here, I'll sort this out." he said rather smugly.

Disbelief showed on my face. I highly doubted that even Edward could get to the front of the queue in less than ten minutes. However I was pleasantly surprised, when he returned grinning, less than three minutes later. He held two maps in his hand.

I studied the map for a brief second, and then asked which lesson we had first.

"English Literature, Building 3." he pointed on the map.

"Right, off we pop then!" I said cheerily; glad to get away from the consuming stench. While we walked slowly towards the course, Edward told me just about everything there is to know about the History of Harvard.

Going past other students, we attracted many curious stares. Edward chuckled inaudibly.

"What is it?" I queried.

"They're planning on how to split us up. We, you in particular have attracted some admirers."

"Hmm..." I turned my head to kiss him. I heard about a hundred groans from both boys and girls. Laughter danced in Edward's eyes.


End file.
